Filesystem-Aware Hardware Accelerator for Direct File Path Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hardware accelerators in non-volatile storage systems lack filesystem awareness, leading to inefficient data transfer and increased latency due to the need for multiple data copies and file-to-block translations, which impact performance.

Innovation Solution

A hardware accelerator with a filesystem reader and accelerator engine that maintains an in-memory representation of filesystem information, allowing direct file path access and reducing the need for block-level I/O operations, thereby enhancing data transfer efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If block-level storage operations are used, then storage system compatibility is maintained, but data transfer efficiency deteriorates due to multiple data copies and file-to-block translations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer efficiencyVSAvoidfilesystem awareness complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a filesystem reader component as an intermediary between the host device and the non-volatile storage. This reader maintains an in-memory representation of filesystem information and handles the translation between file paths and block addresses, eliminating the need for multiple data copies and improving transfer efficiency while managing complexity centrally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of filesystem metadata in the hardware accelerator's internal memory. This in-memory representation allows the system to perform file-to-block translations locally without repeatedly accessing the storage device, reducing data copy operations and improving performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Speed

If traditional block-level I/O operations are used, then storage compatibility is maintained, but latency increases due to multiple data copies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access speedVSAvoidtranslation overhead time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The filesystem reader performs preliminary action by pre-loading and maintaining an in-memory representation of filesystem metadata. This allows the system to perform file-to-block translations locally and quickly without time-consuming translations during each data access operation, significantly reducing latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If hardware accelerator performs acceleration operations, then data transfer performance is improved, but filesystem consistency management becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacceleration operation performanceVSAvoidfilesystem consistency complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filesystem reader acts as an intermediary that maintains filesystem consistency by keeping an updated in-memory representation of filesystem metadata. This mediator handles the complexity of consistency management centrally, allowing the hardware accelerator to focus on performance optimization without managing filesystem consistency details.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12561085B2Hardware accelerator

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 BYTEDANCE INC

AI summary

Solutions are presented to reduce a number of data transfers between a host system and a storage device by utilizing a file path to identify data to be processed, thus enabling an offloading engine to independently locate the file and read corresponding data.